BA (Hons) Game Development: Writing Bachelor's degree at Falmouth University
BA (Hons) Game Development: Writing at Falmouth University. You'll develop practical skills in game narrative, design mechanics, and creative direction while grounding your work in industry-standard tools and workflows.
About this course
Join one of our specialist game development university courses and build your own games from day one in our professional-standard studios. Explore more. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Game Development: Writing is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Falmouth University, based in Penryn Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Computer games and animation graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 79% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £26,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 86% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 6 modules
- Development FoundationsCore
Module details
Through several small-scale team projects, you'll learn the basic principles, terminology, roles and tools used in the development of digital products and services. You'll then develop a pitch that will inform the project you'll pursue in the Multidisciplinary Teamwork module.
- Digital CreativityCore
Module details
In this module, you'll explore and experiment with digital media formats, including text, image and sound. You'll transform an existing digital artefact into a new form, as a means of appropriation, before integrating it with digital game technologies to make them interactive.
- Multidisciplinary TeamworkCore
Module details
In this module, you'll work in a multi-skilled team to make a digital product or service in response to a prompt and some constraints. You'll deepen your knowledge of organising a software development project as well as learning how to work with people from different backgrounds, and across different disciplines, towards a shared deliverable.
- Reading GamesCore
Module details
In Reading Games, you'll begin to think closely and carefully about the formal nature of digital experiences; their markets, the contexts of their production and player experience.
- Writing: Crafts & Contexts
Module details
Through debates and written assignments on writing, authorship, genre, creativity and audience, you'll explore the practice of writing as a discipline and a craft. You'll also develop critical skills, strategies for writing to deadlines and an understanding of the cultural context and traditions writers and readers work within.
- Breaking the Rules: Remix & Writing Back
Module details
This is a challenging and radical creative writing module covering remix and writing back in theory and practice. Using all kinds of texts as source material, you'll be supported to break the rules and experiment with reversionary writing, collage, reviewing, adaptation, pastiche and parody. You'll also consider genre, information content, point of view, tone and context.
Year two 4 modules
- Game Form & Player ExperienceCore
Module details
In this module, you'll explore theoretical approaches and concepts that are used to comprehend the relationship between game form and player experience. You'll learn about and reflect upon ideas that seek to illuminate why players play, and why they find 'ludic' experiences pleasurable.
- World Building: Pre-ProductionCore
Module details
In this module, you'll work in a multi-skilled team on a digital 'world creation' project that you'll continue to develop throughout the year. Through the project, you'll get hands-on experience of world-building and exploratory concept work, prototyping, pre-production and early phases of production.
- World Building: ProductionCore
Module details
You'll continue work on your collaborative 'world creation' project, delivering content in line with production milestones and the processes involved in preparing to release your world and reach your intended audience.
- Level Design
Module details
In this module, you'll learn to create game levels, from initial concept through blockout and finally using modular kits. You'll look at designing enclosed and open world environments using different techniques from blockout to modular design. Through the process, you'll investigate how to include game mechanics, narrative and sound design into your level builds. You'll discover how quest design and environmental storytelling can influence the narrative of a game, as well as examining how audio
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course distinguishes itself by building your own games from day one in professional-standard studios. You'll study across game development and creative writing disciplines, moving from foundational visual and design principles through to specialist practice. Year 1 typically covers visual studies, design principles, materials and processes, and contextual studies to establish your visual language. In Year 2, you'll undertake sustained studio practice, explore digital and emerging media relevant to game creation, and engage with live briefs and collaborative projects. Year 3 focuses on specialist studio work, professional practice and portfolio development, culminating in a final major project. Throughout, you'll usually encounter specialisations such as graphic design, illustration, UX and digital, alongside dedicated game development modules. The degree show provides a public platform for your work.
Who it's for
You're drawn to interactive storytelling and understand that games are complex creative systems, not just entertainment. You write with intention, whether narrative, dialogue, or design documentation, and you want to see your words shape how players experience a world. You're curious about how game mechanics communicate meaning, and you're comfortable learning technical literacy to work across creative teams. You thrive when theory and practice connect, and you're ready to treat your studies as apprenticeship in a real industry. This course suits reflective makers who want rigorous grounding before building their professional practice.
Careers & job market
Across Art & Design courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles. National data shows graduates earning £22,000–£27,000 at the 15-month mark, with median earnings reaching £20,825–£29,400 within five years. Game development roles span narrative design, community management, educational game design, and creative direction, spanning studios, independent projects, education, and media companies. Career progression often depends on portfolio strength and industry network-building, both integral to study here.
University & format
Falmouth University is a University located in Penryn. The BA (Hons) Game Development: Writing is a full-time, 3-year degree taught in English, leading to a Bachelor's degree. Falmouth University is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; degrees are nationally recognised. The university holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Professional placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Falmouth University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £26,500 | £24,000 – £30,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £15,500 | £11,500 – £25,000 | 25 |
| 5 years after | £21,000 | £14,500 – £31,000 | 30 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Web and Multimedia Design ProfessionalsSOC 2020 214 · 32% of published destinations · ASHE median £32,574
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 28% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 11% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 125; response rate: 57%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £26,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 69.9% · in work or study 86% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Falmouth University
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Penryn Campus
153 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Falmouth University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £19,950 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Falmouth University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Falmouth University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Falmouth University
Common questions
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